Announcement of the Mentors & Programme of SCION Accelerator: Why, For Whom, What, and When
Innovation at the intersection of nature and technology is picking up momentum.
In 2024, global investment in nature-based innovation grew by 18% to $1.85B, with early-stage deals up 35%.
Yet Central and Eastern Europe – home to rich biodiversity and talent – remains underrepresented. SCION Accelerator aims to bridge that gap by providing the support and visibility founders need.
As Jennifer Boca of Rezolv Energy notes, despite “huge talent and entrepreneurial drive in Bulgaria and Romania,” systemic barriers like limited capital and fragmented ecosystems have held back nature innovation.
SCION was founded to change that, believing CEE can become a nature-tech powerhouse The mission is to make nature-based solutions not only inspiring, but scalable and investable – helping teams go from science to solution and prototype to real-world impact.
For Whom?
SCION Accelerator is designed for ambitious innovators who blend science, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. We welcome:
Startup Founders – building early-stage CleanTech or NatureTech ventures (from biodiversity monitoring to regenerative agriculture).
Scientists & Researchers – ready to translate lab discoveries into real-world solutions and viable products.
Impact Innovators – NGO leaders, students or multidisciplinary teams with nature-positive projects
If you’re driven to solve environmental challenges with technology, SCION is built for you.
“We’re looking for founders building at the frontier of nature and technology - tackling reforestation, wildfire prevention, air quality monitoring, and circular materials. These are the kinds of solutions that address urgent environmental risks and open up new markets. The most exciting teams are those combining deep tech with ecological insight, designing systems that don’t just sustain nature, but help it regenerate. SCION is here to help them scale with clarity, credibility, and the right support.”
What Does It Offer?
Participants will benefit from a range of support:
Expert Mentorship – hands-on guidance from sustainability experts, seasoned founders and industry leaders.
Tailored Workshops – deep-dives on product development, fundraising, policy, and storytelling for climate innovators.
Cross-Border Network – connections to investors, researchers, and corporate partners across CEE’s green ecosystem.
Ongoing Support – post-program access to the SCION & Rezolv community and resources.
One thing that truly sets SCION apart is the people behind it. Our mentor network features human-backed support from experienced practitioners across domains.
For example, Jaïr Halevi (Head of Startups at Miro) has worked with 1,000+ startups globally to help them build strong cultures.
Chris Coleridge (Cambridge professor and founder of Carbon13) has helped launch over 65 climate tech ventures and brings strategic insight on scaling for impact.
From the corporate sustainability side, Jennifer Boca (Chief Sustainability Officer at Rezolv Energy) provides a bridge to policy and industry partnerships.
Soma Ray builds bias-free, scalable user insight systems that help founders and teams connect deeply with their customers, making her an invaluable SCION mentor for designing inclusive, evidence-led products with real market fit.
Ben Sanders is a multi-time CxO and growth strategist who has scaled fintech and B2B startups from seed to IPO, bringing SCION founders battle-tested expertise in GTM strategy, fundraising, and building high-performing teams across global markets.
And Michelle Egly (co-founder of Wildya) is a product leader who’s spent a decade turning bold ideas into user-friendly, fundable products.
These mentors – among others – ensure that founders have seasoned allies in their corner every step of the way.
Jaïr Halevi (Startup Culture Mentor): “Culture isn’t soft, it’s strategic. I’ll show founders how to use it to hire better, move faster, and avoid costly team drama. When done right, culture becomes your startup’s secret weapon — one that compounds over time.”
Chris Coleridge (Venture Builder Mentor): “Using ventures to save nature strikes some people as contradictory, but we know they’re one of the few vectors we have for fast, border-crossing, ambitious change. Getting it right requires a lot of ‘both/and’ thinking and a clear game plan for where to start. I look forward to supporting founders in achieving clarity around their customer discovery and value proposition.”
When & How to Apply
The inaugural cohort runs for 10 weeks, kicking off on the 11th / 12th September 2025 and concluding in mid-November with a Demo Day in Bucharest
It all begins with an in-person kickoff in Sofia, Bulgaria, followed by weekly virtual sessions, and then a final Demo Day in Bucharest where teams will pitch to regional investors and partners.
Applications are open now and the deadline to apply is September 7, 2025.
